Funding

Salary

Program dates

TBA

Fellowship•USA

Justice Catalyst Fellowship

Justice Catalyst

Application Deadline

December 1, 2026

Official Page

Justice Catalyst is a U.S. legal nonprofit that uses litigation to hold powerful institutions to account. Its fellowship places a new lawyer at a host organisation to run a litigation project the applicant designs. Applicants pair with a nonprofit, a union, a government agency, or a plaintiff-side or public interest law firm before applying. Justice Catalyst grants the money to that host, and the host employs and supervises the fellow. Selection favours projects where a new filing, or a real step forward in existing litigation, is likely inside the first year. Priority issues include antitrust, consumer rights, climate, decarceration, economic justice, labour and workers’ rights, corporate accountability, and access to opioid use disorder medication.

Benefits & funding

  • $76,000 for a one-year fellowship term, paid to the host organisation, which Justice Catalyst expects to go to the fellow’s salary.
  • Health and fringe benefits from the host organisation on top of that grant; where a host cannot fund them separately, some or all may be drawn from the $76,000.
  • One-year term, renewable for a further 3 to 12 months.
  • Supervision, mentorship and organisational resources from the host.
  • Possible additional funding for project development or for launching a new nonprofit.
  • Alumni network of more than 100 former fellows; Justice Catalyst reports that 96% of fellows stay in public service afterwards.

Eligibility

  • Students in the final year of a JD or LLM at a U.S. law school, or graduates up to two years out of law school.
  • Non-attorneys are considered in limited cases.
  • No minimum GPA.
  • No nationality requirement is stated; the hard requirement is the U.S. law degree.
  • Applicants must partner with an eligible host: a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, a union, a tribal, local, state or federal government agency, or a plaintiff-side or public interest law firm. Organisations without 501(c)(3) status can host with extra coordination.
  • Projects based or focused outside the United States must have a close nexus to the U.S.
  • Fellowship funds cannot be used for lobbying or political work.

Can you apply?

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  • Education required

    Master Enrolled · Master

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  • Experience required

    ≤ 2 yrs

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Application process

  1. 1
    Optional: submit a short prospectus between 1 September and 30 September 2026, describing the problem and the proposed approach. Justice Catalyst replies with feedback on fit.
  2. 2
    Submit the full application between 19 October and 1 December 2026, including two references. Letters of recommendation are not accepted.
  3. 3
    Selected candidates are invited to a video interview during January and February 2027.
  4. 4
    Final decisions are issued no later than 1 March 2027.
  5. 5
    Begin the fellowship at any point during 2027, on a start date agreed with the host organisation.
  6. 6
    Request renewal partway through the first year for an extra 3 to 12 months; the host submits a fresh commitment letter.

Program timeline

  1. Prospectus form opens (optional step)

    Sep 1, 2026

  2. Prospectus closes

    Sep 30, 2026

  3. Full application opens

    Oct 19, 2026

  4. Full application deadline

    Dec 1, 2026

  5. Interviews begin

    2027-01

  6. Interviews conclude

    2027-02

  7. Final decisions issued

    Mar 1, 2027

  8. Fellowships start, on a date agreed with the host

    2027